This small, easy peach cobbler with cake mix is super easy, quick, and can be made in your oven or out camping. Dump peaches, a cake mix, and butter into a cast iron skillet or dutch oven for a super easy summer dessert that's done in just an hour.
[This easy peach cobbler with cake mix recipe was originally posted in May 2018. It has been updated with new photos, cooking instructions, expert tips, FAQ, related recipes, video and ways to repurpose/use up ingredients]
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How will this cobbler make your life easier?
This easy peach cobbler with cake mix is perfect if you're cooking for one, or a few people. I used to make a full peach cobbler, but it's hard to eat the whole thing before getting sick of it or before it goes bad.
I cut my old recipe to make 2-3 servings so it's perfect for your peach cobbler craving when you don't have a crowd to eat it. If you want a faster peach recipe for one, try this Skillet Peach Crumble for One.
It's so easy, it just takes 5 minutes to throw together. It also tastes just like a dutch oven peach cobbler, but without a dutch oven!
Serve your easy peach cobbler with cake mix after Cajun Tin Foil Dinners or a pizza (peach caprese, fig & prosciutto, or pear & goat cheese) cooked on your fire if you're camping. Or make a camping dessert (at home) with these Indoor Campfire S'mores.
Check out these other great summer dessert recipes
- Red, White, & Blue Popsicles
- Easy Strawberry Sauce (to top ice cream of course!)
- Frozen Greek Yogurt w/ Tart Cherry Sauce
What makes this cake mix peach cobbler so good?
How do I make this cobbler from cake mix?
To make this easy peach cobbler with cake mix, you'll start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees, or preparing the coals in a fire pit. Spray your baking pan or cast iron skillet with cooking spray.
Start making your easy peach cobbler with cake mix by pouring one 14.5 oz can of peaches, packed in peach juice into pan. I recommend these because the peach juice will add extra peach flavor and give you a great texture.
Then sprinkle (½ T) brown sugar and (¼ t) cinnamon evenly over peaches. It may seem like there's lots of juices in the pan, but it'll be absorbed by the cake mix and will make your cake tender and moist. Don't drain liquid.
After you've got the peaches, sugar, and cinnamon in the dish, add ¼ box dry yellow cake mix over the peaches.
You won't prepare the cake in this easy peach cobbler with cake mix as you usually would prepare a cake mix to bake. The cake mix in this recipe acts as the 'flour', I guess. The peach juice and butter will finish off the recipe.
Spread the cake mix out evenly, by gently shaking the pan or using a rubber spatula. Distribute THIN slices of butter (1 T) on top of cake mix, make sure that butter is covering the whole top. This will leave you with a tender, fully cooked cake topping!
Place the pan or skillet of your easy peach cobbler with cake mix in oven/on coals. If cooking over coals, cover with a lid or tin foil. Leave peach cobbler UNCOVERED if baking, so you can get a tender cake and crispy crust on top.
It will take about 45-50 minutes in the oven, and up to 90 minutes outside, depending on how hot your coals are.
Remove and serve your cobbler while still warm. Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream if desired. This small peach cobbler with cake mix is also delicious served with vanilla or plain yogurt in the morning.
Expert Tips
- Canned peaches are awesome in this easy peach cobbler with cake mix because 1. fresh peaches out of season are NO GOOD! I'm a peach snob. and 2. you'll get lots of great juices and 3. they're way less expensive
- Use peaches packed in their own juices. They taste extra peachy (instead of extra sweet) and are just delicious.
FAQ
Once the top is golden brown, you're good! This easy peach cobbler with cake mix recipe is easy, since the peaches just need to be warmed and the cake is thin, you just need to wait until the top gets a bit crusty and golden brown.
Cake mix can be added to cobblers, like this easy peach cobbler with cake mix (it makes cobbler super easy to make!). You can use it instead of waffle mix to make cake flavored waffles, mix cooked cake with frosting to make cake balls too.
The fruit part of the cobbler, like in this easy peach cobbler with cake mix will be slightly gooey-more syrupy after it's cooked. If it's too gooey, you may want to add cornstarch to the peaches next time or drain some of the juice.
If it's already cooked and not so edible, I'd add yogurt or ice cream to it and let the gooey peaches double as a sauce.
Yes, there's no dairy, so no need to always refrigerate it. But your easy peach cobbler with cake mix will last longer if refrigerated. Recommend refrigerating if you'll be eating leftovers for more than 2 days after making it.
How can I repurpose this cobbler?
Heat your easy peach cobbler with cake mix up and serve with yogurt in the morning or swap ice cream for whipped cream next time.
What can I make the leftover ingredients?
- Peaches: Salmon with Peach and Tomato Salad (just drain & dry peaches well), Peach & Prosciutto Caprese Pizza (just drain & dry peaches well), Peach Crumble for One
- Cake mix: just make a small cake or a cobbler with different fruit
Did you make this small, easy peach cobbler with cake mix? Leave me a comment & rating to share how it turned out!
Small Peach Cobbler with Cake Mix
Equipment
- can opener
- Small ceramic or glass baking dish (I'm using an 8.5x6.5in dish)
- knife
- cutting board
Ingredients
- 1 14.5 oz can of peaches, in peach juice
- ½ tablespoon brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ box yellow cake mix
- 1 tablespoon butter sliced thinly
- ice cream or whipped cream (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees, or prepare coals in firepit. Spray dutch oven or cast iron skillet with cooking spray.
- Dump one 14.5 oz can of peaches into pan. Sprinkle (½T) brown sugar and (¼ t) cinnamon evenly over peaches. (there will still be a lot of juice in pan, but the juice will be absorbed by the cake mix).
- Sprinkle ¼ box dry yellow cake mix over peaches. Spread out evenly. Distribute slices of butter (1 T) on top of cake mix.
- Cover if cooking over fire, can bake without a lid (that's what I do). Cook for 45-50 minutes, or up to 90 depending on campfire temperature. Top should be golden brown and peach juices bubbly.
- Remove and serve immediately. Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream if desired.
Video
Notes
- I love using canned peaches because 1. fresh peaches out of season are NO GOOD! I'm a peach snob. and 2. you'll get lots of great juices and 3. they're way less expensive
- Use peaches packed in their own juices. They taste extra peachy (instead of extra sweet) and are just delicious.
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Saima says
It does indeed look like the best peach cobbler! And so easy to make. Will be trying it soon for sure:-)
Rebecca says
it's so good! thanks!
Katie | Healthy Seasonal Recipes says
I gotta love when an RD gives me the thumbs up on using a box of cake mix! Ha ha! Fun idea for a camping dessert Rebecca! Yum yum!
Rebecca says
haha! always! I took a food science class in college & we determined that cake mixes were better than homemade... unless that homemade cake is an Ina Garten cake, then it's always Ina 😉
Shanna Jones says
Love this quick and easy version! I couldn't agree with you more on saving that extra peach juice. I use it for so many other recipes; including my peach cobbler "sauce" for ice cream and other desserts.
Rebecca says
right?! it's so versatile & delicious. thanks
Jenna Smith says
Does it matter what size Cast Iron Dutch you use over a fire?
Rebecca says
Hi Jenna, great question- not really. I cooked mine in a 12in skillet, which doesn't necessarily translate to dutch oven sizes. I'd recommend about 4-5 qt dutch ovens (or a bit smaller/bigger than that). Too big, then it'll probably just be a layer of peaches and not enough topping, but if it's too small, it may take longer to cook & the topping/peach ratio may be off since there's not as much space on top to use all the topping.
camila says
wow this looks unreal! So delicious!! Scrumptious!
Rebecca says
thanks so much!
Ellen says
I love making desserts in a skillet. This is easy and perfect for a last minute gathering.
Rebecca says
so true!
Sue Hopf says
This recipe cooks peaches then cake mix over top, should the mix be over peaches then cooked?
Rebecca says
oops! good catch-thanks! You'll add the peaches, spices & sugar, then the cake mix and butter, then cover/don't and bake it for 60 minutes. The recipe card is updated now, so refer to that!
Cara says
Tried this recipe tonight for the first time and it was a total bomb... sorry! I really wanted to like it. I followed the recipe to the letter (12" cast iron skillet, no lid, drained off one can of peach juice), and when I took it out of the oven it was nothing but liquid on the bottom with a layer of dry cake mix on top. I ended up gently stirring the dry mix into the liquid and put it back in the oven for 20+ minutes to bake longer. That was honestly the only thing that saved it. The taste was fine, but won't be making this one again.
Rebecca says
hmmm I'm sorry it didn't work for you Cara. I've made this a bunch and the times I ended up with the layers not melding, I didn't spread the cake mix out well enough (it works really well when the mix falls down between the peaches and soaks up the peach juice) and when I didn't add enough butter. That adds some moisture to the mix & helps it get nice & golden brown. Hope that helps if you ever wanted to try it again
Leta Woolard says
Would you recommend adding any liquid when using fresh peaches?
Rebecca says
Hi Leta, great question! I haven't made it with fresh peaches yet, but yes, probably. A few fresh peach recipes call for 1/2-1 c added liquid (either water or milk). I'm guessing you'd get about 3/4-1 c juice from 1 can of peaches, so start with that and see how it comes out. Let me know if you make it!
Cheryl Franta says
I'd like to try it with my own frozen peaches (because I'm a peach snob, too). Just wondering how to do it. Use frozen or thaw first? And, add liquid? Thank you!
Rebecca says
Oh good question. I would probably add 1/4 cup peach or apple juice to the recipe. But I haven't tested it so I'm not sure exactly. Let me know how it turns out!
Andy Russick says
Hey Rebecca,
This is a great recipe. Quick, easy and no mess. Very much liking the suggested us of canned peaches!
Rebecca says
thanks! canned peaches are so good and easy to use in this recipe